Washing-machine



(No Model.)

H. W. WEBSTER.-

WASHING MACHINE No. 324,199'. Patented Aug.'11, 1885.

im //////////IIIII//II//////////II//I//////// UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

HENRY W. WEBSTER, on NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

WASHING-MACHINE.

BPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324.199, dated August 11, 1885.

Application filed May 20, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom 't may sondern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. WEBSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nash ua,

*in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire,have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinWashing-Machines; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters or figures of reference marked thereon,which form apart of this specificaton.

It is the purpose of n y invention to provide a washing-machine within which the Clothes may be easily and quickly placed, and from which they may be as readily removed, without disturbing or displacing the operative parts of the mechanism. It is also my object to secure a free, rapid, and thorough circulation of water both above and below as well as through the mass of clothing placed in the tub, and to provide means whereby the apparatus may be actuated and a thorough cleansing effected with the least possible expenditure of labor and in the shortest practicable time. e

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide washing-machines having a verticallyreciprocating dasher with simple and efficient devices whereby the latter may be operated by r persons of different stature without the necessity of stooping and without loss of power, said parts being capable, when not in use, of folding upon the body of theapparatus,thereby diminishing its bulk and enabling ,it to be stored within a small space, the entire structure being strong and simple in Construction, extremely rapid and efficient in operation, and of low cost.

To the ends specified, therefore, my invention consists in a suitable tub having a false bottom, which is supported above the bottom proper, and perforated' to allow a free circulation of water in the intermediate space, having combined therewith a vertically-recprocating dasher composed of an upper and lower diaphragm, the latter being perforated to per-- mit a free circulation within the chamber of the dasher, and the former being solid to prevent water being thrown from the tub upon the downward stroke, and means for reciprocating said dasher vertically, whereby a rapid circulation of water is produced above and below as well as throughout the mass of clothing in the tub and a rapid cleansng effected.

My invention also consists in the combina tion, with a washing-machine having a perforated false bottom, of a vertically-reciprocating dasher fitting the tub and composed of an upper and lower diaphragm with a waterspace between, and a central removable gate, forming, when in place, part of the chambered dasher, whereby the clothing may be readily placed in and removed from the tub without lifting the body of the dasher from the tub.

It also consists in the combination, with the vertically-reciprocating dasher of a washingmachine, of an operating-lever having an extension-arm pivoted or coupled thereto in such manner that it nay be adjusted to form a parallel or an angular continuation of said lever, thereby placing the graspbar at a lower or a higher point, respectively, and adapting it to be operated by persons of different stat ure without stoopig, or to be folded over upon the tub, When not inuse, to diminish its bulk.

My invention finally consists in the several features of Construction and combinations of parts hereinafter 'ully set fortl,and definitely pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification,Figure 1 is a central vertical section taken through the machine from front to rear. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective representing the dasher, with it's several connections, removed from the tub, and showing the dashergate displaced. Fig. 3 is a side elevation in detail illustrating a modified Construction of the Operating-lever, the ears to which it is pivoted, and the links connecting it with the dasher being shown in dotted lines.

A in said drawings indicates the tub of the machine,and may be of any suitable form and dimensions. Within this tub and resting upon its bottom is placed a false bottom, B, supported by oleats b b, and having numerous perforations b', to permit a free passage of the Water through the space between thefalse bottom B and the bottom of the tub. XVithin the body of the tub and fitting it as closely as is consistent with the unobstructed action of the parts is Suspended a dasher having an up- IOO per and a lower daphragm, C and D, respectively, a suitable chamber or space being provided between, the upper and lower parts named being connected together by strong braees d. The dasher is supported by lugs E, which rise from its opposite sides and are mortised into both the npper and lower dia phragn, said lugs being provided with outwardly-projeeting pintles E', which receive links E having their lower forked ends pivoted to an aetuating yoke-lever,F, the ends of y which are connected with the tub A by means of earsf, nounted upon thelatter. Thedasher is guided in its Vertical movement by featherbars a upon the inner faces of the tub, which engage with notches a',formed in the opposite sides of the npper and lower diaphragn, ihereby retaining the horizontal adjustmentat all points of the stroke and permitting the parts to fit more closely than would otherwise be possible. The lower diaphragm, D, of the dasher is perforated, like the false bottom, to permit a free circulation of water throughout the intermediate chamber; but the upper, 0, is solid to prevent the water,which is th rown into said chainber with great force upon the downward stroke, from escaping from the tub. In the central portion of the dasher is formed a removable gate, G, by means of which the clothes may be placed in and removed from the tub. This gate consists of an upper portion, G', which lies upon and practically forms part of the upper diaphragm of the dasher, and a lower perforated portion, G, which in like manner forms part of the lower diaphragn, D. It is securely held in place by a bar, 1, een trall y pivoted upon the upper portion, G', and having forked ends, which engage with lugs i, forned upon the lugs E. The npper and lowe portions of the gate are connected together by braces g, and when the parts are locked in position l'or operation the structure has all the strength that itwould possess if the parts forming the dasher were integral. It will be seen that by the Construction described the clothes nay be placed in and removed from the tub with great ease and rapidity, and the rcnoval of the dasher bodily from the tub is avoidcd, this being a work involving considerable dillieulty and labor.

The Operating-lever F is provided with a grasp or handle, L, and when the clothes, together with a proper quantity of water and soap, are placed in the tub and the gate Gr' fastened iu place the operator gives vertical reciprocation to the dasher by raising and depressing the handle end of the lever. As the dasher falls and is forced down upon the mass ofelothing in the tub the water is driven in both directions throughout the mass,the greater portion entering the chamber in the dasher after being driven down through the false bottom B, and then upward through the central portion of the clotling. As the dasher rises the water contained thcrein flows in the opposite direction with great rapidty upon the eompressed mass, and especial] y upon the central portion,

shifting its positiouand preparing it for a repetition of the stroke. It is cvident that by perforating the central portion of the dasher- 'diaphragm only, as Compared with the entire surface of the falsebottom, I an able to effect, in a great neasure, a double circulation at each stroke, in the manner described, thus effectiug a thorough cleansing with a great ecouony of labor and time.

In this class of washing-machincs, in which vertical reciprocation is givcn to the dasher by means of a leve` of the second order, considerablc inconvenience has been experienced, from the fact that the grasp of the lever being always at the sanc height 'from the floor, or substantially so, persons of different statnre could not easily operate the machine without much fatigue. For example, while such apparatus is generally used by adults the power imparted by the lever renders it perfectl y operative in the hands of a child. XVhen, however, it is in position to be actuated by the latter, the handle would be so low that any person of the usualhe-ight would be compelled to stoop into a painful position to seize it. To obviate this objection Ihave devised the modification shown in Fig. 3. In said figure F indicates the ordinary yoke lever shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and pivoted to earsf, as already described. In this modified Construction the lever nay be made somewhat shorter, since the extension-coupling Ian about to deseribe will give it the required length.

Upon the outer face of each lever-bar F, and near its point of attachment, I pivot an arm, M, extending toward the outer end of said bar, and provided at a point between its ends with a slotted segment-arm, N, a setscrew, a, passing through the slot into the le verbar F, and holding the arm M at any point to which it may be adjusted. Upon the outer end of the lever-bar F is formed or attached a stud, m, which receives an extensionarm, F having an elongated slot, f', to adnit the stud. The end of the extension-arni F is forked, and straddlcs a stud-pin, a', formed upon the extremity of the arm M, a pin, u, being inserted in the ends of the fork to retain the parts in engagement. The extension bar F, which is representcd for con'venience of illustratiou as being broken away between its ends, is of such length as to give the entire lever the required aeting distance. It will now be seen that by loosening the set-screw u the arm M and the extension-bar F may be turned into substantial parallclism with the lever F, and by fastening the set-screw a they may be retained in that position while the lever is operated. Ina similar nanner the extension-arm may be placed and retained at any required angle with the lever F, as is shown iu the drawings, thereby giving a greater or less height to the handle L, and effectually acconplishng the purpose heretofore described. It is evident, noreover, that by this construction of the eoupling I avoid any practieal loss of power, as the aeting distance IIO of the lever is not materially diminished.. Moreover, as this distance becomes slightly greater as the parts approacl parallelism, it will be seen' that when the handle is lowered to such a point the power of the lever will be at its maximum; and as it is then in position for use by a child the gain in powervwill in a measure compensate the lesser degree' of strength exerted by the operator.

WVhen not in use, the parts may be instantly uncoupled by drawing the pins and the eX- tension-arms F folded over upon the sides of the tub and upon the levers F. This considerably diminishes the space required to stow the apparatus, either for shipment or when not in use. 4

The entire mechanism is extremely simple in Construction, possesses great strength, cannot by any possibility tear orinjure the clothes, will cleanse them thoroughly in a short time, and with the minimum expenditure of labor, and can be used by a child as easily and as intelligently as by a practical laundress.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, isp l. The combination, in a washing-machine, of a tub having a perforated false bottom, a vertically-reciprocating dasher composed of an upper and a lower diaphragm with a water-space between, and a 'central removable gate forming part of said dasher, said gate having an upper and a lower plate, forming practically continuations of the upper and lower diaphragm thereof, thelatter plate only being perforated, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination,in a washing-machine, of a tub, a Vertieally-reciproeating dasher substantially fitting said tub and conposed of a double cliaphragni,with a water-chamber between, a central removable gate in said dasher, having an upper and lower plate which practically form continuations of the upper and lower diaphragn in the dasher, and a turn-bar mounted upon said gate and engaging by its forked ends with lugs upon the pintle-lugs of the dasher, substantially as and .for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in a washing-machine, with a vertically-reciprocating dasher, of an actuating lever having an extension arm coupled thereto, and an intermediatearm having a slotted segment and set-screw, whe'eby the extension-arm may be adjusted and retained at any required angle with the actuating-lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, ina washing-machine, with a vertically-reciprocating dasher, of an actuating-lever pivoted to ears upon the tub, an arm pivoted to said lever near its point of attachment, and having a segment-plate provided with a slot through which a set screw passes into the lever, an extension-arm having a slot which engages with a stud upon the outer end of said lever, and a forked end which engages with astud-pin upon a projection from the segment-plate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, in awashing-machine, with a tub having a perforated false bottom, B, supported upon cleats, of a dasher composed of asolid upper diaphragm, C G', and a lower diaphragm, D G having a central portion of its area perforated, feather-bars engaging with notehes upon the edges of both `diaphragms, and a pivoted lever by which Vertical movement is imparted to the dasher, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the dasher having an upper and a lower diaphragm, of a removable gate composed of the solid upper plate, G', and the perforated lower plate, G

the former being provided with the turn-bar I, which engages with lugs i formed upon the pintle-lugs E,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY W. WVEBSTER. NVitnesses: RosWELL T. SMITH,

FREDERIOK A. EATON. 

